Sorting machine



J. R; PEIRCE SORTING MACHINE Oct. 7, 1930.

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Patented Oct. 7,1939 f UN TA :rorm ROYDEN :enmcn, on NEW you, n. Ynssrenoa To nrrnmmr'roimn nn sninss I MACHINES CORPORATION, OFNEW'YOBK,.N. Y.', A CORPORATION. OF YORK 8mm monmn Original applicationfiled April 17, 1922, Serial No. 554,245 Patent No. 1,674,660, June 26,1928; "llivideil,

and this application filed October 27, 1927. Serial No. 339,068.

This invention relates to perforated-record sorting machines and morespecifically to- 1917, I have described a. machine for distributingperforated cards of different classes. Each card represents an item orset of items to be accounted for, and is punched in one way or anotheraccording to theclass in which it belongs. The machine is particularlyadapted for cards which are punched in various combinations ofperforations, but the invention is applicable also to machines whichdistribute cards whose classifications are indicated by the use of asingle perfora-' tion in different spaces on the cards.

The present invention is directed to a machine of the same general typeas in the above patent, the machine being improved in certainparts ofthe mechanism and particularly by the provision of means for preventingthe jamming of the machine by the failure of the card to move through itin the regular way.

In sorting machines, not only of the type described in the above patent,but of various other types, it happens occasionally that by reason of abent or mutilated or otherwise imperfect card, or by reason of somedefective operation of the machine, a card fails to pass through themachine properly and causes a jam which results in the destruction ofone or more of the cards before the machine can be stopped. The makingof new cards to replace those which are thus injured or destroyed is adiflicult matter. Nevertheless it is important that the cards'thusinjured or destroyed be correctly replaced, otherwise the tabulatingmachine through which the cards are to be run after sorting will notgive the correct accumulation and the entire system is renderedcomparatively useless;

My non-j am mechanism applied to sorting machines for perforated cardssaves this loss of time and danger of inaccuracy in the final result bydetecting a card which fails to pass properly through the sortingmachine and by preventing the jamming of several following cards againstthe defective one. Sorting machines for such cards run at the rate of afew hundred cards per minute; so that when a jam commences it isimpossible to stop the machine by hand before there has been aconsiderable accumulation of cards at the point of destruction and amutilation or destruction of some of such cards and, in some cases, an

injury to the machine.

Th detector of my invention is preferably connected to the feedingmechanism so as to merely stop further movement or feedin of cards Whilepermitting the other parts 0 the machine to continue their movement. Butthe detector may be arranged also to stop other parts of the mechanismor to stop the movement of the'entire machine. The machine is alsodesigned to permit the removal easily of the defective card. Upon suchremoval the machine will function properly. The operator will thenduplicate the defective card and insert the new perfect card in themagazine, whence it will be sorted in due course.

The accompanying drawings illustrate a machine embodying the invention.

Fig. l is a perspective view of a complete machine, showing the frontand the left hand, or magazine end;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the left hand end;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation with the casing removed, the pin box cutaway and the card stacker withdrawn from the first sorting pocket;

Fig. 4 is a plan of the central portion of Fig. 3;

F ig.;8 is adiagrammatic plan view showingthe successive positions ofthe cards;

Fig.- 9 is a horizontal section approximate- 1y on the line 9-9 of Fig.15';

Fig. 10 is a detail in plan of the mechanism shown in Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a detail of the magazine;

Fig. 12 is an enlarged detail of Fig. 9;

Fig. 13 is a section on the line 13-13 of Fi 9' Fig.1} is a backelevation of the machine with the casing removed;

Fig. 15 is a cross-section of the machine at approximately the line15-15 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 16 is a detail of Fig. 15;

Fig. 17 is a rear view in perspective of the detecting mechanism andrelated parts;

Figs. 18, 19 and 20 are elevations of a cer' tain group of devices inFig. 17 showing successive positions thereof;

Figs. 21, 22 and 23 are separate elevations of certain pawls showntogetherin Fi 17 Fig. 24 is a rear view in perspective 0 a selecting pinand clip deflecting mechanism controlled thereby;

Fig. 25 is a view in perspective of the principal shafts and cams bywhich the sorting of the cards and the detecting of an imperfect cardare controlled;

Figs. 26,27 and 28 are plan views of one of the clips in differentpositions; I

Figs. 29 to 32 are separate views of levers shown in Fig. 26; Figs. 29and 30 being respectively a. plan and side elevation of one, and Figs.31 and 32 being respectively a plan and side elevation of another;

Fig. 33 is a sectional view approximately on the line 33-33 of Fig. 26;

Figs. 34 and 35 are separate plans of the gripper jaws;

Figs. 36 to 38 are respectively a plan elevation and cross-section of apocket.

In my previous patent the machine illustrated was adapted to sort cardsin which the classification was determined by the relative arrangementof several perforations. In the embodiment of the present inventionillust-rated, I have shown a simpler construction of machine designed toclassify'cards using a single perforation to indicatetheir'classification.

Also in the machine of the previous patent a number of sorting stationswere provided and the machine was adapted, at one passage of the cardthrough it, to sort the cards into a number of different particularclasses, with a supplementary sorting pocket for cards not belonging inany one of the special classes. For the sake of simplicity, I haveassumed that the present invention is applied to the sorting out of onlyone class of cards at a single passage of the stack of cards through themachine. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, therefore, themachine has a single pocket for receiving cards of the desiredclassification, and a second pocket which receives: all other cards? Ifthere; are-only two classes of cards in the stack then, of course, eachof the two sorting pockets will contain cards of one of these twoclasses. If the cards are of more-than two classes they may be runthrough this machine a number of times, first sorting out cards of oneclass, then taking all the remaining cards and sorting out therefromcards of the second class, and so on; using, of course, for thesuccessive operations a sorting device which is adapted to classify byperforations at different points on the cards.

' Referring to Fig. 1, the cards A are stacked in a magazine 1 at theleft of the machine and pressed forward therein. The machine is drivenby a motor. The foremost cards of the stack are shifted to the right insuccession which brings them into positions to register first with a pinbox 2 where their classification is determined, second with a sortingpocket 3, and finally with a reserve or second sorting pocket 4. Fig. 8illustrates the movement. The card moves first to position A. Then it isgripped by reciprocating grippers and moved to the position A. Here aselecting pin feels for a perforation in the card.

If it does not find a perforation at the proper point a second set ofclips takes the card straight to the right to the position A, and athird set of clips shifts it again to the right and it is deflected intothe second pocket to the position A.

If, however while the card is in the position A the selecting pin findsa perforation it will set the mechanism so that when the clips advancethe card, they will also deflect it to the position A within the firstpocket. In this way cards perforated according to the desiredclassification will be accumulated in the first pocket; and all othercards will pass the first pocket and be accumulated in the second.

The foremost card in the magazine 1 is given a first short movement tothe right by means of a pusher 5, Figs. 9 and 12, which has a shoulder 6of slightly less width than the thickness of a card. This pusher ismounted on the inner face of a bracket 7 which is guided on a fixed rod8 and is reciprocated by means of a link 9 connected to a crank 10 whichis continuously oscillated. In its backward position the shoulder 6 iscarried to the left of the cards. Then as the pusher moves to the rightthe shoulder carries the foremost card with it to the desired positionA, Fig. 8.

The card passes through a narrow space between a post 11 and a block 12which is made adjustable as illustrated in Figs. 11 and 13 to thethickness of the cards to prevent the passage of the second card.

The block 12 has a flexible edge portion 12* which is adjusted outwardby means of a screw 12"; the block being fixed on a bracket 12 andpassing through a slot in the inner wall 12 of the pocket.

The clips or grippers which carry the cards are illustrated in detail inFigs. 26 to 33 and their positions are shown in the elevation, Fig. 3,and in the plan view, Fig. 5. They are designated as a whole by theletter B. There -ter therewith and operate simultaneously therewith'toengage the lower forward corner of the card. The two plates 13 and 16which carry the upper and lower sets of clips are connected at theirends, the rear end plate 19 being shown in Fig. 3 and being connected,Figs. 3 and 5, to a link 20 which is operated by a crank pin on adriving wheel 21. Thus the carriage containing the clips is continuously reciprocated. .VVhen they move to the left they will grip theforward edges of the three cards in the positions A, A A Fig. 8. Theywill then move to the right, advanc ing each of these three cards onestep, while a new card is pushed out of the magazine to the position A.The cards are stopped positively in the positons A A and A The grippers,which have only a frictional hold on the cards, continue to advance,thus passing. beyond the forward edges of their cards. The grippers arethen swung inward and moved to the left behind the several cards. Beforethey have moved quite back to their starting point they are swungoutward and opened slightly; and at their rearward point, their jaws arebrought together to grip the next series of cards; after which themovement is continued as before. Fig. 26 shows a gripper holding a cardA and advancing with itin the direction of thearrow; the gripper beingin the forward position, beyond the normal line of travel of the cards,which is indicated by the dotted line A. That is to say, if a card isnot to be pocketed it travels along the line A, the gripper being in acorresponding line, and when the card is to be pocketed the gripper andcard are in the lateral position indicated in full lines in this figure.

Fig. 27 shows the gripper-swung behind the path of the cards andtraveling backward in' the direction of the arrow. Fig. 28 shows it nearthe end of its backward stroke with thejaws moved forward and openedready to engage the card-A.

Each clip is mounted on a bracket 22 fastened to the rear face of itscarrier plate, 13 or 16. This bracket has an opening at the center asshown in Fig. 33, and (for the upper line of clips) a groove across itstop face in which lies the shank 23 of the clip, held down by means ofplates 24 and 25 at its front and rear ends respectively. On theunderside of the shank 23 of each clip is a pin carrying a roller 26 bywhich the entire clip is shifted toward the front or toward the rear ofthe machine as hereinafter described. On the top of the shank is a plate27 to which is pivoted a lever 28 operated through a roller 29 onone endand having at its opposite end connections which regulate the movementof the aws.

When the shank is in the forward position of Fig. 26, it is locked bymeans of a spring pawl 30 pivoted at 31 and engaging the corner of theblock 27. The pawl is operated, as hereinafter described, by means of aroller 33 on its top face. The shank 23 of the clip is normally drawnback by means of a spring 34. For the lower line of clips, the parts arein vertical line with the corresponding parts for the upper line,but'they are carried on the undersides of the brackets 22 (see Fig. 7)and are generally reversed top for bottom.

The jaws 35 and 36 of the clip are pivoted on the forward end of theshank at 37 and have tails which are drawn together by a spring 38 tohold the jaws normally closed. The jaw 35 consists of two plates asshown in Fig. 33, and the jaw 36 has lateral extensions 36 at its outerend overlying the edges of the two partsof the jaw 35. The jaws areshown separately in Figs. 34 and 35. The control of their movements iseffected through a link 39, Fig. 31, engaging an arm on the jaw 36. Thejaw 35, however, carries a shoulder 40 which may be brought intoengagement with a stop pin 41 on the shank of the gripper to limit theoutward closing movement of this jaw. The link 39 at its rear end isconnected to the left hand end of the lever 28. When this lever is inthe intermediate position, Fig. 26, the jaws are held together by theirspring and are in a normal position'angularly about their pivot 37.

When the lever 28 is thrown to the position of Fig. 27, the link 39 ispulled back and the jaw 36 swung inward and, by reason of its overlap,carries the jaw 35 inward with it.

When the lever 28 is swung to the opposite extreme position, Fig. 28,the link 39 is pushed forward and pushesthe jaw 37 outward. The shoulder40, however,- strikes against the pin 41 and thus limits the outwardmovement of the jaw 35 sufficiently to leave an opening between the twojaws.

A controlling link 42 is pivoted at 43, at its lower end, on theunderside of'the link 39 and has a pin 44 at its opposite end by whichits position is controlled as hereinafter described. It has also aflange 45 pro ecting upward alongside the left hand edge of the link 39and connected by aspring 46 with a flange 47 at the right hand edge ofthe link 39. The link 42 has also a shoulder 48 adapted to be engagedover the forward end of the block 27, as in Fig. 26. And the link 39 hasa projection 49 adapted to be similarly enga ed in the position of Fig.27.

The controlling pins or rollers on the upper line of grippers arelocated on the top thereof and are actuated by cams on the underside ofthe top of the machine during the reciprocating motion of the grippers.Similarly the lower line of grippers have their controlling pins ontheir underside and are actuated by cams carried on the bottom plate ofthe machine.

The forward and backward movement of the shank of the gripper iseffected by means of cams which act on the roller 26 to push it forward,where it is locked, and by means of the s ring34 which retracts it whenit is unloc ed by striking the roller 33 on the spring-locklng pawl 30against the member 108, so as to throw the pawl to the left. The cams bywhich this is accomplished for the upper line of grippers areillustrated in plan at 50 and 51, Figs. 5 and 7, and in perspective viewin Fig. 24. They are supported on a horizontal plate 52 below the levelof the grippers, pivoted at their left hand ends and connected by togglelinks 53 and 54 to arms 55 and 56 on vertical shafts 57 and 58.extending between the top and bottom walls of the machine. Running alongthe back of the machine at an intermediate level is a slide or bar 59which is reciprocated by means of a lever 60, 61, Figs. 14 and 17,bearing on a cam 62 on a cross-shaft 63 driven by a sprocket chain 64passing over a sprocket wheel on the cross-shaft 65, Fig. 3, at the rearend of the machine.

The shaft 57, Fig. 24, has an arm 66 in the path of a projection 67 atthe popper edge of the slide 59, and the arm 66 is connected by a spring68 to a second projection on the slide. The spring tendsto hold the arm66 against the projection 67, and to cause the arm and the shaft 57 tooscillate as the slide reciprocates. When the slide 59 moves in thedirection of the arrow it bends the toggle 55, 53 and withdraws the cam50 from operation and allows the gripper to move in its normalpath. Whenthe slide 59 moves in the op-' posite direction it tends to turn theshaft 57 oppositely and to render the cam 50 operative to throw thegripper forward and to cause the card carried by such gripper to enterthe pocket.

But the rearward movement of the slide 59 is to accomplish this purposeonly in case the card is one of the selected classification. Therefore,the shaft 57 is locked to prevent such an operative movement of the camuntil a card of the determined classification arrives. An arm 69 on theshaft is normally engaged by a bent pawl 70 pivoted at 71 and engaged bya link 72 which is pulled to the rear by a s ring 73 and is connected atits forward en to a lever 74 pivoted at 75 and having a flange 76 whichlies immediately behind the portion of the card which carries or doesnot carry the selecting perforation by which it is to be classified.

Registering with the same perforation space on the card is a selectingpin 77 which is engaged by the upper forked end by a lever 78, the lowerend of which has a pin bearing on a cam 79 on the longitudinal cam shaft80, Figs. 3 and 25, which is driven through bevelled gearing from thecross-shaft 63. The forked upper end of the lever 78 bears at the rearagainst a shoulder 81 by which the pin is retracted and at the forwardside against a ring 82 which presses through an intermediate springagainst a fixed shoulder 83 on the pin.

As the cam rotates the pin 77 is pressed toward and against the card. Ifthere is no perforation in the line of movement the pin cannot pass, andis shortly withdrawn. If there is a perforation the pin 77 passesthrough and against the flange 76 and withdraws the locking pawl 70 andthus allows the throwing forward of the cam 50 on the backward stroke ofthe slide 59. Then, as the clips advance, that clip which carries thecard that was in register with the selecting pin, is thrown forward bythe bearing of the cam 50 on the pin 26 on the underside of the shank ofthe clip, and carries the forward edge of the card outward. The cardthen moves through the open corner of the pocket 3, as indicated indotted lines at A, Fig. 9, and thus into the sorting pocket. Where thissorting action does not take place the card is carried in its normalpath between the front wall 84 of the machine and the rear wall 84 ofthe pocket 3.

It will be understood that in passing the pin box 2 the card alwayspasses between the front wall 84 of the machine and the rear wall 84 ofthis box, there being no opening for admission of the cards and being nodeflectionof the clips at this point.

When the card passes in its normal path back of the wall 84 of pocket 3it is caught, at the next operation, by the third gripper. This gripperis deflected forward at each operation of the machine so that all cardstaken by this gripper are deflected outward andbrought by the wall 84 ofpocket 4 into said pocket. To accomplish this the slide 59, Fig. 24, hasa pair of fixed cars 85, 86 which rock the shaft 58 at eachreciprocation and throw the cam 51 forward to operative position foreach advance of the cards.

A latch 87 is provided for holding the pawl 70 out of engagement as soonas it shall have been withdrawn by the action of the selecting pin; soas to permit the latter to be withdrawn immediately to permit the freemovement of the card, and to prevent the restorationv of the pawl 70 assoon as the selecting pin withdraws. This latch 87, Figs. 9 an 24, ispivoted at its rear end on the underside of the plate 52, Fig. 15, andis pulled by a spring 88 against a stop 89 projecting below the end ofthe pawl 7 0; When the link 72 is pulled forward a shoulder 90 on theend of the latch 87 engages the stop 89 and thus holds the pawl 70 outof operative position. This continues until, after a sufficient forwardstroke to ensure the pocketing of the card, the latch 87 is engaged by apin 91 projecting upward from a second slide 92 which moves forward withthe slide 59; being actuated by a cam 93. Fig. 17, on the cross-shaft 63engaging a link 93 which is connected to the lower end of a lever 94whose upper end has a linked connection with the slide 92.

The movement of the jaws of the grippers is effected by means of cams95, 96 and 97 (Figs. 5 and 5 for the upper line and Fig. 15 for thelower line) pivoted on the top and bottom plates 14 and 17 of themachine so that they overlie the grippers. 'One of these cams is shownin Fig. 17 and is mounted on the end of a short shaft 98 and has an arm98 which is connected by a toggle link 98 with an arm 99 on the end of avertical shaft 100 which is pivotally mounted in the top and bottomplates of the machine (Fig. 15), and which carries at an intermediatepoint in its length an arm 101 engaged by a forked plate 102 carried bya slide 103 which is reciprocated by means of a cam 104, Fig..17,

engaging the lower end of a lever 105, the upper end of which has a pinand slot connection with the slide. Figs. 9 and 14 show the positions ofthe shaft 100'and the two similar shafts 106 and 107 by which the threecams 95, 96 and 97 are actuated; each of these shafts having an armwhich is similarly engaged and rocked by means of forks on the one slide103. The three cams 96, therefore, operate in the same way and at thesame time.

Near the end of the feeding movement of the grippers the pins 33 thereofstrike projections 108 (Figs. 14 and 15 and, in plan, Fig. 5) dependingfrom the top wall and standing up from the bottom wall of the machineand this unlatches the shanks of any which may have been latched andallows them all to take their backward position for the return movement.

In the most advanced position of the clips, Fig. 5, the cams and 51above referred to, and which we may call sorting cams, are in theirbackward inoperative position, and the grippers may take their returnmovement to the left without effect from these cams. The pins 29 bywhich the grippers are controlled on their return movement do not comeinto position for engagement with the cams, 95, 96, and 97 until nearthe end of such return movement. The movements of the grippers areillustrated in the diagram, Fig. 6. The cards are shown in thesuccessive positions, A, A A and A. Only the ri ht hand gripper of thethree is illustrated. he forward or feeding movement of the firstgripper at the left takes the card from position A to A and has nolateral movement; the second gripper takes the next card from position Ato A normally, or if the card is to be sorted, is pushed forward asabove explained; and the third gripper always carries the card fromposition A to A, with a forward movement to carry it into the pocket.The cards are stopped in these positions by means hereinafter describedand the grippers continue to move until they have passed slightly to theright of the edges of the cards a distance indicated by the grippermarked B in Fig. 6. In this position the shank of the gripper has beenreleased so that it moves to its rearward line of travel. Also the jawshave been swung inward to the position of Fig. .27 by means of thespri'n 108 and the forward face of the grip ers lies just to the rear ofthe normal path of the cards indicated by a dotted line in Fig. 6. This,therefore, may be called the starting 'osition of'the grippers. As theymove to t e left the reta-in this position until they arrive at a outthe point B At this point the jaw-operating cams 95, 96 and-97 engagethe rolls 29 on the levers 28 and by pushing down the links 39 swing thejaws outward and open them as in Fig. 28, this position being shown atB, Fig. 6. A slight further movement to the left. takes place, whereuponthe rollers on the grippers pass beyond the cams and the spring.

108 again closes the jaws so that they grip the cards as at B, Fig. 6.The feeding movement then begins and proceeds as above described.

Referring now to Figs. 26, 27 and 28, when the grippers were opened, asin Fig. 28, the projection 48 on the link 42 was pulled inward by thespring 46 and brought into the path of the block 27. Then when, by aselecting operation, the shank 23 and the block 27 are pushed forward asin Fig. 26, the engagement of the block with the projection 48 preventsthe spring 108 from acting to swing the gripper jaws inward, and thusthese jaws are held in a position to grip the card in a line parallelwith its intended travel.

At the right hand end of the travel of the grippers, when the shank andthe block 27 have been retracted by the spring 34 by throwing to theleft the locking, pawl 30, the pin 44 on the end of the link 42 has beenengaged by the end of the pawl 30 so as to press the projection 48 tothe left and allow it to pass up alongside theblock 27, as shown'in Fig.27 However, the action of the spring l08 'is limited by the striking ofthe projection 49 on the link 39 against the underside of the block.

The cam 97 is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5 in posit on to engage theroller 29 with the gripper indicated n the position of B of Fig. 6. Thefurther movement of the gripper from this position results, first in theopening of the jaws and, as the roller rides over the end of the cam, inthe closing of them on the edgeof the card.

. The above description has applied particularly to the upper line ofgrippers, those of the lower lin and the cams and controlling mechanismtherefor, are in register vertically with the corresponding parts in theupper line so that these grippers engage the lower forward corners ofthe cards as the upper line grip the upper forward corners.

The cards, travelling along their normal path, are stopped in thepositions A and A by means of arms 109, Figs. 3, 9 and 15,1ocatedagainst the right hand faces of the pockets and swinging into theposition of Fig. 9 so as to close the end of the space between the frontwall 81 of the machine and the rear walls of these pockets. These stoparms are mounted on a shaft 110 which has a depending arm 111 pulledinwardly by means of a spring 112 so as to hold a roller on its lowerend in engagement with a cam 113 on the longitudinal shaft 80. Thespring 112 holds the stop arms outward to permit the passage of thecards, and the cam moves them' inward just before the arrival of thenext card and holds them inward'until the grippers have continued beyondthe edges of the card.

If for any reason the cards do not feed properly forward so as to bringthem properly against the stops 109 or fully into the reserve pocket 4,a continued feeding of the cards will cause them to am. I have,therefore, provided a detecting mechanism for ascertaining at eachoperation that the cards have been carried to their proper stations; andfor preventing a jam in case a card has not moved properly.

For this purpose there is provided a detector on the left hand face ofthe pin box 2 and each of the pockets 3 and 4. This detector comprisesan arm 114 arranged to swing across the normal path of the cards at apoint immediately in the rear of the rear edges of the latter if theyhave taken their proper stations; or to strike the cards if they havenot moved sufficiently forward. This detector arm 114 is shown in threepositions in Figs. 18, 19 and 20. They are pivoted at 115 on arms 116carried on a shaft 117, Fig. 15, which has a lower arm 118 fixed thereonand connected by a spring 119 with a long arm 120 which is loose on thesame shaft and which has at its lower end a roller riding on a cam 121on the longitudinal shaft 80. As the projection on the cam 121 engagesthe lower end of the arm 120 itthrows the latter out. The arm 120 tendsto pull the arm 118 through the spring connection 119, and to turn theshaft 117 so as to advance the several arms 116 and the detectorscarried therewith.

The detector 114 has a tail 122 the upper end of which is bent and bearsunder a latch 123 pivoted at its rear end and pulled down by a spring124, the end of the latch comprising a hook which is adapted underpropercircumstances to drop over a pin 125 on the arm 116. The upper end ofthe arm 116 lies adjacent to the detector 114 and constitutes a pusher.126 for actuating the controlling mechanism hereinafter described.

The retracted positions of the parts are shown in Fig. 18. At the end ofa feeding operation the arm 116 is pressed forward with a springpressure as above described. The spring 127 holds up the tail 122 of thedetector and holds up the latch 123. If there is no obstruction, theparts move forward uninterrupted, to the position of F ig. '19. Thepusher 126 passes through an opening in the front wall 81 of themachine, as in Figs. 8 and 10, and strikes one ofthe arms 128 on a shaft129 and bears against it with sufficient force to rock the shaft. Thereare three arms 128 on the same shaft registering with the three arms116, as shown in Fig. 9.

If instead of moving forward uninterruptedlv the detector 114 shouldstrike a card A which had not advanced properly, the detector wouldswing back around its pivot and lower its tail 122, which would permithe latch 123 to drop over the pin 125 and prevent further movement ofthe arm 116, Fig. 20. The stoppage of one of these arms prevents themovement of the shaft 117 and thus stops them all. An improper positionof any one of the cards, therefore, will prevent the striking of any ofthe arms 128 and the turning of the shaft 129. This shaft controls thefeed of the cards in the manner shown in Fig. 17.

The three slides 59. 92 and 103 are actuated by cams in one directionand by springs in the opposite direction. These slides control thegripping and the selecting movement of the grippers as the latter arereciprocated by the motor. The middle slide 92 is actuated, as beforeexplained, through a lever 94. The pivot or shaft 130 of this levercarries at its forward end the arm 10 by which the pusher 7 isreciprocated in order to push the foremost card out of the magazine. Ifthe motion of these slides be stopped, therefore. there will be nofurther feeding of a card out of the magazine and the grippers will moveback and forth idly along their rearward path with the parts thereof inthe position of Fig. 5, the controlling cams being in the inoperativepositions.

The slide 59 has a notch on its underside for engagement in its advancedposition, as

in Fig. 17, with a spring pawl 131, Fig. 23.

the right, Fig. 17. If the If the pawl is held out of operation then asthe operating cam 62 turns further the spring 132 will cause the slideto move backward to pawl springs into its notch in the slide, however,the spring 132 will not be able to shift the slide and the latter willbe held in its advanced position.

Similarly the slide 92 has a notch in position to be engaged by a springpawl 133, Fig. 22, when the slide is in the advanced positionillustrated. As the cam 93 which actuates this slide to the left turnsfurther, the s ring 134 engaging the lever 94, will shift t e slide backto the right. If the slide is caught by its pawl,.however, the springcannot act and the slide will be held by the pawl in its advancedposition. v The slide 103 advances to the right rendering itsclip-actuating cain inoperative b such advance. It is provided with anote in register with a pawl 135 (Fig. 21) working in the reversedirection from the pawls 131 and .133. This slide is advanced by the cam104. and retracted by the spring 136, if the pawl be held out ofoperation. If the pawl be free, however, it will spring into engagementin the forward position of the slide and hold it against the pull of thespring 136 and will thus prevent the rendering of the cam 95 operativ"The detector operates on the pawls 131, 133 and 135 through an arm 137fixed on the shaft 129, the rear end of this arm being connected to abracket 138 which is pivotally connected to the several pawls all ofwhich are mounted on a pivot pin 139. At each operation of the machinethe detectors feel for a card in wrong postion and, failing to find onethere, permit the advance of the pusher 126 and the rocking of the shaft129 and the withdrawing of the several pawls, thus permitting themachine to function in the regular way. If, however, any one of thedetectors 114 finds a card in wrong position, its arm 116 and theseveral pushers 126 will be locked so that they cannot rock the shaft129. At the end of the advance of the several gripper-controllingslides, the latter will be locked so as to stop the pusher 7 and torender inoperative the cams which ordinarily cause the grippers to takehold of and feed the cards. The cards will, therefore, stand still whilethe running gear of the machine will continue in operation. The detectoror equivalent controlling mechanism may be used in various other ways toprevent jamming in case of a defective card or an improper feed. Forexample, it may effect a stoppage of the entire machine or of any partsthereof which will prevent a jam and will permit a correction of thetrouble.

There isa variety of machines controlled by cards not only for sortingthe cards but for performing various other accounting operations, inwhich the cards or a number of delay to permit the withdrawal of thedefective card. A duplicate of the defective card Wlll be made andinserted in the magazine.

The machine is designed to facilitate observation of the cards and easywithdrawal of the one which fails to feed properly.

Fig. 3 shows in dotted lines at A, a card which has failed to travelsufficiently to the right. The lower edge of the card rests on a part140, Fig. 15, of the front wall of the machine, a bar 141 to preventaccidental vertical movement. The upper part of the card projects abovethe walls of the pin box and pockets and above the front wall 81 of themachine, the grippers traveling at the level shown at B, Fig. 15. Thereis a space between each two grippers. The upper part of the card is,therefore, visible at all times and is easily taken hold of by theoperators fingers except for the guiding bar 141.

The guide bar is easily moved to a position where it will not interferewith such removal of a card or cards. For this purpose it is suspended,Figs. 3, 4 and 15, from arms 142 pivotally mounted at their rear ends onthe top plate 14 of the machine. Pins 143 pass freely through the outerends of these arms and are fastened at their lower ends to the bar 141,being pressed down lightly in engagement with the cards by means ofsprings 144 and being limited in their movement b heads 143 in the formof adjustable nuts. When a stoppage occurs the operator has only to takehold of the head of one of the pins 143, lift it slightly and swing itto the right, which will shift the bar 141 to the position shown indotted lines in Fig. 4. This exposes the cards and permits the operatorto take hold and lift them upward out of the machine. When the machineis started again the bar is swung back into position, being stopped inits movement to the left by means of a projecting plate 145, Figs. 3 and4, on the left hand end of the frame.

and its upper edge is held lightly by- The machine maybe driven-by a motor 146,

stopping the motor.

